It had been raining when we left Siena, yet by the time we reached Montalcino the heat had burned the water away and steam was rising off the road.
The grapes had had a good drenching, and now they had a moment to ripen under a fierce sun. I took off my coat and walked over to the other side of town, which was mostly in shadow.
In this landscape, everything comes down to light and shade. The vineyards run down the hill on every side of the town, and each slope meets the sun in its own way from sunrise to sunset. Watching the weather swing from downpour to heat in less than an hour, it was easy to see why Sangiovese does so well here.
A four-star year
Every year the Consorzio rates the new vintage with stars, and when it calls a vintage exceptional it’s worth paying attention. The 2010 Brunello, released shortly before our visit, was one of those, with five stars.
The 2013 was given four.
The 2013 Brunello wouldn’t be released for years, but there was a way to get a feel for the vintage in the meantime: the 2013 Rosso di Montalcino, which was already on the shelves.
Brunello’s younger sibling
The original idea behind Rosso di Montalcino was simple. It gave you something to drink while the Brunello was still in barrel, and a good one can give you a glimpse of what the vintage’s Brunello might become.
It hasn’t always worked that way, and sometimes it still doesn’t. Over recent years, though, Rosso seems to have been given more attention in its own right, and quality has improved. Like Brunello, it must be made from 100% Sangiovese. That’s no accident: in 2011 the producers voted down a proposal to allow other grapes into the blend, after a good deal of debate and some drama in town.
The rise in quality also happened to coincide with the global recession and the drop in demand for expensive Brunello. Some producers wised up to the appetite for what people call “baby Brunello”. I don’t much like the term. Rosso has its own DOC, and it deserves to be seen as a wine in its own right.
Four bottles of 2013 Rosso di Montalcino
We stocked up at the local wine shop on as many 2013 Rossos as we could carry. These four were among the best of what we tried, and the Sesti in particular.
Sesti (Castello di Argiano) Rosso di Montalcino 2013
Don’t rush this one. It’s a transparent, dusty rose colour with delicate flavours and a fine structure, balancing a sense of luxury with simple Tuscan charm, and the finish goes on and on. One of the best 2013 Rossos I tasted.
Poggio San Polo Rosso di Montalcino 2013
An edgy wine, like a punk in church. Orange peel studded with cloves, for those who like to peel a plum and then eat the skin. It settles down after an hour into a pleasant drink, with neither too much acidity nor too much rich fruit.
Lisini Rosso di Montalcino 2013
Plenty of approachable sweet red berry fruit, stewed summer strawberries and a hint of dried spice, with almonds and blood orange appearing later. A good example of Rosso di Montalcino, and good fun.
Agostina Pieri Rosso di Montalcino 2013
About as decadent as an easy-drinking wine gets, with smooth, modern edges that may owe something to the vintage. Ripe, sweet, rich fruit and very fine tannins. Not hugely complex, but satisfying.
Where to eat in Montalcino
Whenever I’m in Montalcino, I have at least one dinner at the Osteria di Porta al Cassero, a small place in the old town near the fortress.
At weekends it fills with Italian families taking their grandmothers out to dinner, which is reassuring, because an Italian grandmother is not easy to please when it comes to food.
The cooking is hearty and Tuscan, with dishes of beans, wild boar and ragù. They also serve pinci, the local pasta (called pici in Siena), which is rolled by hand into thick, uneven strands, traditionally made without eggs. The wine list sticks to Montalcino and was well priced on my visit, with a choice by the glass that ranged from well-known names to smaller producers you see less often.
After a day of rain, heat and steam on the road, a plate of steaming pinci was the right way to end it.
Continued from part 1: Tears Over a Plate of Pasta.
Archive note (October 2026)
This post was first published in July 2015 as the second of two posts about a trip to Tuscany.
The 2013 vintage, rated four stars when these Rossos were released, went on to earn a strong reputation for its Brunello, and some tasters came to rate it above the five-star 2012. At the time of writing, the Osteria di Porta al Cassero is still open, but it’s always worth checking before you travel. The wines, menu and prices described here are as they were in 2015.
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